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As Christmas approaches stay fit to party

With less than a month to go until Christmas, the next few weeks are a whirl of activity on the social calendar, so it is important to look after yourself and make sure you are fit to party!

Party season is in full swing

Staying fit and healthy in the lead-up to the seasonal celebrations is tough, particularly if you are a student. There are parties almost every night as the term winds down; there are activities organised by departments, by clubs and societies; and of course the Students’ Union will be running heaps of not-to-be-missed events.

Add to that, end of term tests, exams, coursework deadlines and a feverish rush to get the already late essay onto your tutor’s desk and you suddenly start to realise the meaning of pressure.

The dreaded lurgy

Many students fall victim to coughs, colds, flu and the dreaded glandular fever at this time of year and, just as things start to ramp up, you find yourself a spluttering, coughing, snivelling wreck who can’t lift your head off the pillow. Some of this is down to stress; some is down to sitting in lecture halls with hundreds of infected students; some of it is simply due to burning the candle at both ends.

Of course, it is not just students who fall foul of illness this time of year. As the office party season swings into action, then the streets of Cambridge fill up with revellers as darkness falls and the office becomes a cacophony of coughs and sneezes as people struggle into work after one party too many!

One way to avoid the end of term large and to stay fit to party is to make sure you keep up an exercise regime and eat well, despite the festive temptations that surround you.

Plan your fitness routine

The first thing to do is to plan an exercise regime for the countdown to Christmas. Try to fit in a run, cycle or swim at least three times a week. Fresh air, oxygen moving speedily around the body, transporting red blood cells to the far reaches of your muscles, will all help energise you and help your body in its fight against germs.

Make the exercise tough so that you are sweating and breathing hard. Maybe add a few sprints to your run; a hill or two into your cycle or a few hard lengths into your swim and try to keep up the effort for 45-60 minutes.

Stay fit to party

As well as cardiovascular exercise, it is a good idea to do a strength and conditioning session. This will help your muscles both tone and relax. Join a circuit class at Kelsey Kerridge or plan a circuit that can be done in your room or, even better, outside.

Here is a sample circuit that can be done anywhere, anytime. Ask a trainer at Kelsey Kerridge Outlooks Gym if you are uncertain about any of these exercises or would like some other ideas.

10 x each of the following exercises: push ups, crunches, squats, tricep dips, cycling sit-ups, lunges, hands to elbow plank, back raises and donkey kicks.Two minutes of jogging on the spot and star jumps.15 x each of the following exercises: push ups, crunches, squats, tricep dips, cycling sit-ups, lunges, hands to elbow plank, back raises and donkey kicks.Two minutes of spotty dogs and straight legged running on the spot20 x each of the following exercises: push ups, crunches, squats, tricep dips, cycling sit-ups, lunges, hands to elbow plank, back raises and donkey kicks.10 burpees, 30 mountain climbers, 8 burpees, 30 mountain climbers, 5 burpees, 30 mountain climbers.
And finally, take some time for your well-being. This could be a walk, a coffee break with friends, a yoga session, a trip to the cinema – anything that involves some quiet time or some time away from the frenetic end of the year.